Christmas Cookies and Scrabble
by Brown Eyes Parker
Summary: Reese and Carter spend an afternoon together before Christmas. AU. Careese.


**Christmas Cookies and Scrabble**

**A Reese & Carter Story**

**By Brown Eyes Parker**

**Author's Note:**

**It has been quite a while since I wrote anything for Carter and Reese. I have missed her more than I can explain. I wasn't going to write anything for them, but this idea introduced itself to me and wouldn't let me go until I wrote it. So, here it is. . . a little AU about what I wish I could have happened if she hadn't been killed off.**

**Rated: T**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**.**

"Are you ready for this?" Joss Carter asked as she let John Reese into her apartment.

"It's baking," Reese answered. "How complicated can it be?"

"You'd be surprised," Carter replied. "Baking is a _science_, you need to be precise or the end result

will be a mess."

"I'll be the first to admit, baking isn't my forte but how hard can following a recipe actually be?" Reese asked as he followed her into the kitchen and she tossed him an apron.

"Not as easy as you think it is," she answered, trying on her own apron.

"I can handle anything you throw at me, Joss."

Carter smirked. "Here's the recipe then. You can make it all by yourself."

"Fine," Reese said, taking the card from her and scanning it. "Where's the flour?"

"I have all the ingredients out on the counter John," Carter answered, smirking at him again.

"Right."

"All the canisters are marked, sweetie," Carter told him.

Reese gave her a look. "Maybe you could give me a little help. Please."

Carter laughed. "You never baked Christmas cookies when you were growing up?"

"I've never baked anything really," he answered. "There's no need to when somebody else can do it for you."

She laughed again and turned on some Christmas music before coming over and taking the recipe back. "Okay, we can do it together then."

They worked together, measuring and mixing flour and sugar while Nat King Cole's version of _the Christmas Song _played in the background. Joss hummed along as she poured vanilla into a teaspoon and dumped it into the cookie dough.

A few minutes later, she was forming the dough into balls and chatting with him as she wrapped them in plastic wrap allowing her to do most of the work while he watched.

"The best part is coming," Carter announced as she closed the refrigerator doors. "We just have to wait a while until then. Wanna play a game of Scrabble, John?"

"Scrabble?" Reese repeated. "Sure, let's play a game of Scrabble."

"There's a catch though," Carter warned as she disappeared into the living room.

"Oh and what's that?" Reese asked, following her into the living room.

She held up the Scrabble box and smiled at him. "You can only play _Christmas _themed words. Candy cane, Santa Claus, reindeer. . . you get the gist of it. But you can't play tiny words like _elf_."

"Santa Claus is a proper name," Reese told her. "I thought you weren't allowed to use proper names in Scrabble."

"It's Christmastime, John! You can bend the rules at Christmas!" Carter wheedled. "Besides, you don't _ever _follow the rules. So, what's the big deal in playing by a different set of rules for a _game _during Christmas? It isn't like anybody will ever find out. It'll be our little secret."

Reese grinned at her. "Okay, okay. You've convinced me, I'll play it your way. But just this once."

Carter beamed at him. "Do you want to set up the board while I make coffee?"

"Okay," Reese agreed taking the box from her.

"Just set it out at the island, John!" Carter said over her shoulder as she prepared the coffee.

**.**

Carter was an expert at Christmas Scrabble. It made Reese dizzy to see her come up with word after word. He could barely keep up with her, she beat him twice before the timer buzzed, telling them that the cookie dough was ready.

Carter hopped up and went to the fridge, pulling out the dough and tossing it on the counter.

"Now, we have to roll out the dough and cut out different shapes," Carter told him as she pulled the top off a Christmas themed hatbox.

"I didn't know you loved Christmas so much," Reese said as she pulled out a handful of cookie cutters and spread them on the counter.

"It's because it's one of the best times of year," Carter told him. "We can forget about all the bad stuff in the world for a little bit and concentrate on the good stuff around us."

"But the bad stuff is still there, regardless of the date on the calendar."

"Yes," Carter agreed as she rolled the dough out evenly. "But for a month, it isn't the only thing that we are thinking about. I know you know that though, you do see the good in the world. Even if you won't admit it aloud. Come on help me cut the cookies out. That's the whole reason you're here, anyways. To help me bake because my son had somewhere else he just had to be."

"I think he just didn't want to be here," Reese said.

"That isn't true. We always bake with each other, every year ever since he was a little boy. He asked permission to be excused from the tradition this year."

There was an unsaid _so there_ tacked on to the end of her statement. Reese grinned and dropped a reindeer on top of the cookie dough and pressing it into the dough. He lifted it up and put it on the cookie sheet that she had slid towards him.

Together, they finished the task at hand quickly. Then she ordered Chinese food and they played another round of Scrabble while they waited for the cookies to bake and cool so they could ice and decorate them.

Carter wound up tempting him into eating more icing and sprinkles and cookies than they actually decorated. He was entirely too full when they finally finished and she had packed him a small tin of cookies.

It had started to snow as he pulled his coat on and found his black hat, stuffed in one of his pockets.

"Thanks for helping today," Carter said, smiling at him and wrapping her arms around herself for a second.

"No problem," Reese answered, buttoning up his buttons.

Carter pulled him for a hug and a quick kiss on the mouth. She had made it a habit to give him little bits of physical affection ever since they had spent the night hiding in the morgue. Today, she smelled like candy apples. It was a terribly girlish scent for such a mature woman.

"I'll see you later," Carter said as she pulled away, her smiling deepening and showing her dimples. "Goodnight John."

"Goodnight Joss," he echoed as he opened the door and disappeared into the wintery New York evening, knowing he would be dreaming of Christmas scrabble and cookies when he finally fell asleep that night.

He wouldn't have it any other way.

**_The End_**

.

**Author's Note II:**

**Do I still have it? If you enjoyed this one or any of my other Careese stories, I hope you will review for old time's sake. And Merry Christmas everybody, I'll try not to stay away so long the next time.**

**Love,**

**Holly, 12/16/2014_**


End file.
